Knitting is a cruel mistress

#1

I am making the Pearl Buck Swing Jacket from Interweave Knits Winter 2005. I started it Wednesday night during a condo association board meeting (the members passed a resolution that I could knit during meetings so that I would join!) So it didn’t have my full attention. Then I continued to work on it for about 30 min in the morning and another 30 minutes in the evening during my commute on public transit. Again, a bit more distracting than sitting alone in the living room.

At first I was certain I had done something wrong, but as the pattern emerged, I thought I might have dodged a bullet - it looked right. And it was very fun to make.

Yesterday was a glorious sunny but not too hot day, but I decided to stay home and knit instead of go ride my horse. And at about 6 pm, I discovered the mistake. It first required me to frog back about 17 rows (of 177 sts, so a lot of frogging!) That took me back to where I had been Thursday. Then I had to move two columns of stockinette over one stitch, so had to frog just that column down 14 rows and pull it back up again - and the column that had been stockinette had to be turned into alternating 3 rows purl, 3 rows knit. So that all took about 2 hours.

It would have been much better had I just gone to ride the horse, came home, sat down with my knitting at 8pm and realized the problem before working on it for 4 hours…but then I’m not sure how I would have realized the problem until I reached a certain point in the pattern.

And that is why knitting is such a cruel mistress. Humbling, but I keep coming back for more! :slight_smile:

On the bright side, I learned the Russisan Join, what a lot of fun that is.

#2

I have [I]so[/I] been there so many times in my short year and a half of knitting.

#3

Oh, yeah! For the particular person it can really be demanding.

I really liked that jacket in IK. I haven’t made it and probably won’t but think it is really cool.

#4

AHHHHHHHHH Well, let me share my story.

I started a simple raglan short sleeve V neck pullover on Wednesday using a delicious varigated cashmire in a very light yarn; almost baby yarn (7 stitiches to the inch on a 5 needle). I knitted Wednesday night, Thursday night, all evening Friday and most of the day Sat. I got to the point where I was ready to divide for the sleeve and the body and realized I had made a TERRIBLE mistake, I had neglected a front increase and the front was WAY smaller than the back.

FROG FROG FROG FROG… that’s ALOT of knits and purls to frog. But as soon as I was frogged and rewound I started casting on again.:waah::waah::waah::waah::waah::waah:

#5

I have just had to frog a sock heel 3 times so I totally agree about the cruel mistress.

Now I have got the heel to work I have forgotten the pain and am planning my next pair.

#6

When that kind of thing happens to me, I just tell myself I’m geting more for my money! I get to knit the yarn more than once- sometimes three and four times. :roflhard:

Jana

#7

After I posted this, I goofed some more. Kind of a good thing though because it made me check the pattern, and I needed to do some shaping that I hadn’t really been aware of.

I agree about getting to knit more for less, lol. Fortunately I love the yarn. And the pattern isn’t actually hard, I just need to PAY attention a teensy bit. Not even a lot, just a LITTLE. It is coming out beautifully for now. That’s what keeps me running back to her :slight_smile:

#8

I get lots “for my money” with as often as I have to redo!!!

#9

Hmm … Dunno about knitting being cruel but sewing definitely is.

If you’ve goofed up the knitting at least you get another chance to re-do it - but not when you’ve bought expensive fabric and cut the sleeves of a blouse too small - battle for two hours trying every which way to re-cut the sleeves out of what’s left coz you bought the last bit of fabric on the bale in the shop :doh:.:eyes:…ooooh …must stop this :twisted:… getting flashbacks …:oo:

Yours from the Trauma Unit …:zombie:

#10

Limey-
I too sew and had that happen, and it was just simple curtains! I bought the last of this great cream eyelet fabric, cut and sewed the curtains, They looked so great but they were way tooooooo short. Not even a cute short. :ick:

#11

Wowsers! That’s awful! I’d have been tempted to brick up the bottom half of the window, so they’d fit. There’s nothing so maddening as cutting fabric, spending ages sewing the the damn thing and then finding there’s a stuff-up - and there ain’t any frog to help you out. Good luck for next time, anyway.